Improvement in car-couplings



J. J. CHRISTIE. Oar-Coupling.

No. 214.364. Patented April 15, 1879.

%W" ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. CHRISTIE, OF HENDERSON, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HISRIGHT TO JOHN WILLIAM KIRK, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 214,364, dated April15, 1879 application filed February 24, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN JOSEPH CHRISTIE, of Henderson, in the county ofMadison and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and valuableImprovement in Gar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the construction andoperation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures ofrefe'ence marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of a perspective View of myimproved coupling. Flg. 2 is a longitudinal section of the draw-barscoupled, and Figs. 3 and 4 are details.

This invention has relation to improvements in car-couplers; and thenature of the invention consists in the arrangement and novelconstruction of a draw-bar having a laterallyextended head, a transverserectangular groove across the said lateral extension, a vertical notchin the face of said extension, a hook pivoted to vibrate vertically insaid notch, and having an oblong slot in its heel, as will behereinafter more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawings, the letter A designates the body of thedraw-bar, designed to be secured to the car-frame in the usual manner,and having upon its front end a laterallyextended head, a. This isusually of triangular form, the front end of the same being at rightangles to the length of the car. Extending transversely across this headis a rectangular groove, b, of suitable width and depth, the object ofwhich will be hereinafter set forth.

0 designates a vertical notch formed in the front edge of the head, andbounded at each side by the hunter-heads d. The lower edges of thesebunters are connected with the body of the head by the parts 0, havingrounded front edges, so that the couplers will have a rolling bearin gon each other. In between the hunters d is secured, by means of a pin,

f, passing horizontally through the same, a strong hook, g, which, beingengaged in the groove b of another draw-bar, couples the cars together.This hook is provided with a curved end, h, in which is formed a slot,8, of similar curvature, and of a size sufficient to allow the pin ffree passage, the said end being forked, as shown at i, Fig. 1. The hookend of this part fits snugly in the groove 1) of the adjacent draw-bar,and on going ahead bears against the rib j on the front of the head, andin backing, against the rear wall of the groove. The slot 8 in the endof the hook allows the said hook to be adjusted to draw-bars ofdifferent heights, and when hanging in the position shown in Fig. 2 tobe thrust back between the bunters, out of reach of injury.

1 indicates an ordinary twisted link depending from the pin f in thecrutch of the hook, and designed to couple a car provided with myimproved draw-bar with one having the Well-known pin-and-link couplingdevices.

This improved draw-bar will he usually cast complete, and will beconnected to the framework of the car in the customary way.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A draw-bar having laterally-extended head a, a transverse groove, b,extending across said head, the hunters d on the front of said head, thebolt f extending through said hunters, the hook g suspended from saidbolt, and provided with slot 8, substantially as specified.

2. The hook g, having aforked slotted curved end, h, adapted for usesubstantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN JOSEPH CHRISTIE.

Witnesses:

NEWTON JASPER HoDeES, CYRUS MCKNIGHT.

